Golf cart structure



March 17, 1959 R. 1.. TRIMBLE com CART STRUCTURE s Shets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 5. 1955 lwilrllllll II R. L. TRIVMBLE GOLF CART STRUCTURE March 17, 1959 4 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 5. 1955 Unites States Patent corn CART STRUCTURE -Roy Lane Trimble, Mount Prospect, 11]., assignor to The Louis Johnson Products 'Co., Inc., Highland Park, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Application October 5, 1955, Serial No. 538,554

' 3 Claims. (Cl. 287-54) The invention relates generally to golf carts and the like and has reference more particularly to structural features for carts of this type whereby their appearance and operation are improved, the said features including an improved bracket for releasable attachment to the censtructure is suspended from an intermediate bracket,

whereas the upper and lower brackets provide retaining members for the golf bag with the upper bracket additionally providing a pivot support for the handle.

In accordance with the invention the upper and lower brackets each embody a clamping member in the form of a wedge which functions to fasten the retaining members to the bracket in desired spaced relation, depending on the size of the golf bag to be embraced thereby, and said upper bracket being further characterized by a clamping plate which is employed for fixedly securing the upper bracket in the proper position vertically on the upright standard.

' -In view of the foregoing, a further object of the in- 'vention is to provide a bracket for carts of the kind described which will embody clamping instrumentalities that are simple in construction, but which will be highly efiicient in the performance of their intended functions, and a bracket that can be cheaply manufactured by pro "'duction methods.

With these and various other objects in view, the invention may consist of certain novel features of construction and operation as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the specification, drawings and claims appended thereto.

In the drawings which illustrate an embodiment of the invention and wherein like reference characters are used to designate like parts- Figure 1 is an elevational view of a cart embodying the improved structural features of the invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the cart illustrating in particular the collapsible wheel structure of the same;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the upper bracket of the cart;

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of said upper bracket with the clamping wedge and clamping plate having been removed;

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the bracket as shown in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the wedge employed for clamping the bag retaining members to the bracket;

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view taken longitudi- 2,878,042 7 Patented Mar. 17, 1959 2 nally of the bracket substantially on line 7--7 of Figure 1, showing the upper bracket in clamped position on the upright standard;

Figure 8 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along line 8-8 of Figure 7 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 9 is a vertical sectional view taken transversely of the bracket substantially along line 9-9 of Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the clamping plate;

Figure-11 is an elevational view of the outside face of the clamping plate; and

Figure 12 is a view in top elevation of the plate as shown in Figure 11.

The embodiment of the invention selected for illustration in the drawings is fully disclosedin Figure l, wherein a golf cart 10 is disclosed of the type employed for transporting a golf bag such as 11 around the course. Said golf bag has supported relation 'on the elongated frame 12 of the cart and said frame essentially consists of an upright standard, preferably formed of aluminum or other light metal, and having the bottom angular bent portion 13 to which is suitably secured foot member 14 by means of the screws 15. The foot member provides a bag rest for the bag 11. Additional supports and retaining members for the bag are provided by the upper and lower brackets 16: and 17, respectively, and 'by retaining members 18 and 19 provided by the upper bracket, and retaining members 20 and 21 provided by the lower bracket. The retaining members 18 and 19 of the upper bracket have location on respective sides of the bag 11 and are suitably held in proper spaced relation for receiving the bag by improved clamping structure embodying a wedge to be presently described in detail.

The lower bracket embodies similar structure for clamping the retaining members 20 and 21. The upper bracket 16 additionally provides the rear extension 22 which is integral with the bracket and which is formed with the conventional ratchet face 23. The handle 24 is secured to the extension by the threaded wing nut 24a, it being understood that the handle has a ratchet face similar to 23, and accordingly the handle can be locked in any desired elevated position, or it can be locked in a down position by manipulation of said wing nut. The lower bracket 17 is secured to the upright standard 12 in adjusted position thereon by the threaded set screws 25. However, the upper bracket 16 is provided with a clamping plate 26 for fastening said bracket to the upright in desired position thereon. The structure of said clamping plate 26, its coaction with the upper bracket 16, and the threaded screws for manipulating the clamping plate are fully disclosed in Figures 7 to 9 inclusive and will be presently described in detail.

The golf bag is provided with a pair of wheels 28 and 30 which are preferably rubber tired to facilitate the rolling action of the wheels over the terrain of a golf course. The said wheels may be extended into spaced relation with the upright standard 12, as shown in Figure 2, or said wheels can be collapsed into a position relatively adjacent the lower portion of upright 12. For collapsing purposes the wheel supports 31 and 32, respectively, are pivotally supported from brackets 33 and 34 by means of strut members identified by numerals 35, 36 and 37 for wheel support 31 and by numerals 38, 39 and 40 for wheel support 32. Bracket 33 provides a stationary member, the same being fixed to frame 12 by means of screws such as 41. Bracket 34 is a movable member, the said bracket being journalled by bracket 33 in a manner permitting pivotal movement thereof on a horizontal axis relative thereto. The stationary bracket 33 additionally provides the cam portion 42 and by means of handle knob 43 a friction shoe can be applied against cam portriangular shaped guides 52, the said integral with the side walls 46 and 47, respectively,

either a collapsed or an extended position. For a more other light metal having the integral rear extension 22 and being substantially box-like for the remainder of its extent, with the hollow interior thereof being formed by the top wall 45, side walls 46 and 47, and a front wall 48. The box-like portion ofthe bracket is open on its underside except for flange 49, and the hollow interior thereof is partitioned transversely by means of the arcute wall 50 which provides the opening 51 of a diameter sufficiently large to receive the upright standard 12. The interior of the bracket is additionally provided with guides being formed and each guide having a front sloping face such as 53.

The bracket 16 is quickly and easily installed on the upright standard 12 since it is only necessary to telescope the braket with respect to standard 12, whereby, as a result of such action, the standard will pass through opening 51. When the bracket has been located on the standard in the desired adjusted position vertically thereof, the clamping plate 26 is tightened by actuation of the threaded bolts 54, having the hexagonal heads 55. The threaded bolts 54 extend through openings in the side wall 46 and through aligned openings in the partition 56 and accordingly are received in threaded openings 57 formed in bosses 58 comprising part of the structure of the clamping plate 26. It will be seen that by tightening up on bolts 54 the clamping plate 26 can be drawn toward the up right standard 12, for which purpose the inside face of clamping plate 26 is made arcuate as at 69. Accordingly, the clamping plate is provided with a clamping surface approximating the contour of the upright standard 12 and a rigid and secure fastening is effected as regards the bracket 16 on the upright standard. In order-to additionally facilitate the clamping action of plate 26 the inside face of the plate along the edge opposite arcuate surface 60 is formed with a pivot extension 61 andwhen said clamping plate is applied to the bracket the pivot extension 61 is adapted to have location Within groove 62 formed in the exterior face of partition 56. Accordingly, the pivot extension and its groove serve to position the clamping plate on the bracket and to additionally facilitate pivotal movement thereof for the purpose of clamping the plate against the upright standard or for releasing said plate when it is desired to remove the bracket or to change its adjusted position on the standard.

The retaining members such as 18 and 19 havev inwardly directed base portions such as 63 and 64, respectively, which extend through aligned openings 65 formed in the side walls 46 and 47 of the bracket, and it is, of course, necessary to lock the retaining members in the desired spaced relation for receiving the golf bag and which may vary, depending on the size of the bag. The invention provides a clamping member in the shape of a wedge 66, Figure 6, and which is adapted to ride on the sloping faces 53 of the guides 52. For this purpose the edges on one face of wedge 66 are notched as at 67 and when the wedge is assembled on the guides, it will be observed that the notches have coaction with the sloping face 53 of said guides. To manipulate the guide only one threaded bolt is necessary, the same being identified by numeral 68, Figure 7, and which has a rounded slotted head 69. Said bolt 68 is adapted to exend through opening 70 formed in top wall 45 and which is elongated in a longitudinal direction in order to permit displacement of the wedge as it may move along the sloping faces 53 of the guides 52 provided therefor. By turning the threaded bolt 68 the wedge can be drawn upwardly, Figure 7, thus causing contact of the wedge with the overlapping portion 63-64 of the retaining members 18 and 19. As a result the retaining members are clamped to the bracket to constitute a rigid and secure unit therewith, although it is possible to readily release the retaining members for adjustment purposes or for removal merely by turning bolt 68 in a direction to allow downward travel of the wedge toward the small end of the triangularly shaped guides.

The bracket 16 is accordingly characterized by clamping members which operate in a unique manner to perform clamping operations of a different nature. The wedge 66 is located forwardly of the bracket and within the same for clamping the retaining members 18 and 19 to the bracket. The bracket '17 is similar in construction, also embodying a wedge for releasably clamping the retaining members 20 and 21. However, bracket 16 additionally embodies a clamping plate 26 which is located on the exterior of the bracket, being a continuation of the side wall 47 and said plate functions to clamp the bracket to the upright standard. The plate has location within the space provided therefor at the rear of the box-like member and between the top wall 45 and the bottom flange 49. From this space, access can be had to the opening 51 since the partition wall 50 is so shaped as to form a circle of less than 360 degrees. Thus a gap exists in the opening 51 and this gap is closed by clamping plate 26 which has pivotal association with partition 62 and can be drawn into clamping contact with standard 12 by a tightening of the bolts.54.

The invention is not to be limited to or by details of construction of the particular embodiment thereof illustrated by the drawings as various forms of the device will of course be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A bracket of the character described, including in combination, a box-like member open on its bottom side and accordingly having top and side walls, a front wall and a rear, transverse partition wall spaced from the front wall, said box-like member having aligned openings in its side walls adjacent the front wall for receiving retaining members which overlap within the member and project from respective sides thereof, guides of triangular shape respectively located on the side walls rearwardly of the openings and which extend inwardly in transverse alignment, whereby sloping surfaces are provided in facing relation with the inside of the front wall and which slope rearwardly in a downward direction from the top wall, and means for clamping the retaining members to the bracket including a wedge located between the overlapping portions of the retaining members and the sloping surfaces of the guides.

2. A bracket of the character as defined by claim 1 additionally including a bolt extending through an opening in the top Wall and having threaded relation With the wedge for manipulating the wedge whereby to cause movement along the sloping surfaces.

3. A bracket of the character described, including in combination, a box-like member open on its bottom side and accordingly having top and side walls, a front wall and a rear wall, said box-like member having aligned opening in its side walls adjacent the front wall for receiving retaining members which overlap within the member and project from respective sides thereof, guides of triangular shape in elevation located respectively on the side walls rearwardly of the openings and which project inwardly of the member in transverse alignment, whereby sloping surfaces are provided in facing relation with the inside of the front wall and which slope rearwardly in a downward direction from the top wall, means for clamping the retaining members to the bracket including a wedge located between the overlapping por- 5 tions of the retaining members and the sloping surfaces of the guides, and a bolt extending through an opening in the top wall and having threaded relation with the Wedge for manipulating the Wedge whereby to cause movement along the sloping surfaces.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,394,904 Isgrig Oct. 25, 1921 6 Fogeol Dec. 16, 1924 Schneeman Nov. 1, 1949 Macbeth June 20, 1950 Alexander Aug. 21, 1951 Frey May 27, 1952 Smith May 12, 1953 DAzzo June 28, 1955 Giese Oct. 25, 1955 

